Animal restraint harnesses for the purpose of restraining pets in motor vehicles are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,562 (to Giroux), U.S. Pat. No. 6,564,749 B1 (to Dorsey), and U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2009/0066146 A1 (to Singh), all describe motor vehicle pet restraints having seatbelt type connectors integrated as part of the harness assembly itself. Such seatbelt type connectors are typically heavy, clumsy, expensive devices that add to the shortcomings of such harnesses when incorporated thereon. Additionally, the control points in such restraints are linked to the integrated seatbelt type connectors. In such harnessing configurations, the control points tend to excessively wander, resulting in a compromised means for restraining a pet.
Other examples described by U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,630 (to Luce), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,203 (to Scott et al.) describe harness assemblies that engage a pet's sensitive neck area, and lack substantially stable, large area, pet engagement members to maximize the distribution of stresses to less sensitive, non-neck pet areas. U.S. Pat. No. 6,601,540 (to Davis) describes a single, neck engaging, panel member relying on a mere loop for securely engaging a seatbelt assembly.
Accordingly, in view of the foregoing deficiencies, there exists a clear motivation in the animal harnessing arts for new and useful improvements.